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Dec.'l1, 1928.

J. M. SCHILLING ET AL CARRIER FOR BOTTLE COOLERS Filed Nov. 7, "1927 m W m5 mm mum m5v V m NZ WM 9 Jw A TTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 11, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEQI JOHN M. SCHILLING AND WILLARD e. soHI LrNG, or LIMA, OHIO.

CARRIER FOR BOTTLE cooLnR-s.

Application filed November 7, 1927. Serial No. 231,530.

Our invention relates to an improved construction of bottle carrier for use in bottle coolers or refrigerators, by means of which a .plurality ofbottles of drinks to be cooled may be placed in the carrier and passed by it through a cooling or refrigerating zone, the number of bottles preferably being such that each bot-tle may be in the cooling zone a sufiicient length of time in the usual operation of the device, to thoroughly chill the contents of the bottle.

Our invention provides for the making of a carrier of the'kind referred to, from two sheets of metal similarly or identically formed so that when placed together, a plurality of radial compartments is formed for receivingthe neck portions of the bottles to be handled by the carrier, the radial depth of each compartment being preferably such that the bottom portion of each bottle preferably projects substantially beyond the outer edge of the carrier to permit convenient handling of the bottles. The bottle compartments of our improved carrier are each tapered from near the outer portion of the carrier to the inner portion of the carrier, at such an angle that the tapered portions together substantially fill the entire angular extent of the carrier, the tapered portions being separated from each other by the minimum amount required for the forming tools toform the tapered portions of the compartments, and the angle of taper of each compartment being preferably such an amount that practically all styles and shapes of bottles commonly employed for soft drinks can-be accommodated by the carrier, whether the necks be long and slender in which event the caps engage an abutment of one kind or another at the inner portion of the bottle compartments, or blunt at their neck portions and engage the taper of the compartments at one point or another depending upon the degree of bluntness of the necks.

Our improved carrier construction is particularly adapted for use in connection with the bottle cooler construction shown in copending application Serial No. 220,896, and since our present invention is confined to the carrier construction itself, the construction of an entire refrigerator or bottle cooler is not illustrated herein.

Our invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing a. preferred embodiment thereof, in which Fig. 1 shows our improved carrier in side elevation,

Fig. 2is a sectional view of the parts shown in Fig. 1 taken along the line 2-2,

Fig. 3 shows our improved carrier in a view similar to Fig. 1 to a reduced scale,with bottles in the carrier compartments and illustrates diagrammatically the meaning for holding the bottles in the compartments in use,

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a part of the struc-' ture shown in Fig. 1 showing one of the bottle compartments, and y Fig. 5 shows in a view similar to Fig. 2 a part of the carrier construction -illustrating a modified construction of the central part i of the carrier. r 7 Similar numerals refer 'tosimilar parts throughout the several vlews.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, our carrier consists of two annular sheets of metal 10 and 11, having at intervals distended portions 12 and 13 formed from them so that said distended portions together form bottle com,- partments when the sheets 10 and 11 are, placed together, each of. these compartments being substantially cylindrical for a short distance from the outer .periphery of thecarrier, from which the compartment is of coniouter portion of the compartment, as illustrated for the bottle 14 in Fig. 2. The taper ofthe conical portion of the compartment is such that for abottle of blunt construction at its neck end,-the shoulder portion of the bottle adjacent the neck will engage the conical wall of the compartment to'prevent the, body portion of the bottle moving inwardly toWardstheaXis of the carrier too far toper- I mit the restraining devices controlling proper position of the bottles in the carrier, so that for bottles of this kind the caps may be at a greater distance from the axis of the carrier than the inner edges of the disks 10 and 11.

The conical walls of the distended portions 12 and 13 have extending from them folded portions 15 and 16 to facilitate forming the bottle compartments, and these folded portions 15 and 16 extend a sufiicient distance from the compartments axially of the carrier so that their outer edges are nearly or quite in the plane of the outermost portions of the cylindrical parts of the bottle compartments. Each half of the carrier thus far described is formed in the same Way as the other half, by stamping and forming itfrom a single piece of sheet metal, so that both halves may be made by the same tools, and when the halves are thus formed, they are fastened together in any suitable manner with the portions 12 and 13 opposite each other, for example by soldering, brazing, riveting, electric welding or in any equivalent manner.

The inner ends of the folded parts 15 and 16 of the portions 12 and 13, are secured in any desired manner, for example by soldering, brazing, riveting or electric welding to the Outer port-ions of hub disks 17 and 18 of sheet metal, having central apertures for receiving a sleeve 19 coaxial with the axis of the drum, to receive a suitable shaft to support the carrier for rotation. Between the disks 17 and 18, the sleeve 19 carries a second sleeve 20 which is shouldered at its mid portion to support a stop disk 21 on it in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the carrier. The stop disk 21 is of an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the formed disks 10 and 11, and serves to engage the bottle caps when the bottles are of the long slender neck variety, to prevent the bottles moving inwardly in their compartments, too far to be properly controlled by the carrier. The hub disks 17 and 18 are preferably inturned adjacent the sleeve 19 as indicated at 17 and 18 to facilitate securing the parts together since when soldering, brazing or welding material is employed, it will fill the recesses thus made and form a stronger union between the parts than if the inner edge portions of the disks 17 and 18 were flat.

In co-pending application, Serial No. 220,896 above referred to, provision'is made for mounting bottle carriers of the general class above described, however they may be constructed, so that bottles contained in the carrier may be moved successively through the refrigerating zone of a bottle cooler and since the carrier described in the present application is intended for use in a bottle cooler of the kind shown in said co-pending application, the construction of such a cooler is not illustrated herein.

In Fig. 3 we illustrate diagrami'natically the use of the carrier shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4. The carrier is filled with bottles 14, 14, which may or may not be all of the same variety. The carrier is mounted for rotation so that it is surrounded by a metal bar or rod 22 of semicircular formation, surrounding the lower half of the carrier and at a distance from the axis of the carrier radially to just clear the bottoms of the bottles 14, 14. When the carrier is rotated with the bottles in the compartments, the rod or bar 22 prevents the bottles dropping from their compartments and causes them to travel with the carrier from one end of the rod or bar 22 to the other, the bottles of course remaining in the compartments through the upper half of the rotation of the carrier, by the action of gravity. It will be observed that there may be considerable latitude in the length of the bottles, without interfering with the operation of the carrier, as long the bottom of the bottle does not project from the carrier a greater distance than the distance of the rod or bar from the carrier, and since bottles having a given liquid capacit are of substantially the same diameter, alt iough they may be of different shapes at their neck portions, the carrier is serviceable for bottles generally, regardless of the shape of their neck portions. 1

The size of the disks 10 and 11 is preferably such that the bottle compartments lie closely adjacent to each other with their axes in radial lines of the carrier, to the end that many bottles may be received by the carrier as possible to increase the efficacy of the cooling operation.

In the construction shown in Fig. 5, we en'iploy modified hub disks 23 and 24, so formed that the stop disk 21 is no longer re quired, these disks 23 and 24 being forined at their outer edges with inwardlyextending portions 23 24, the outer walls; of which are substantially cylindrical and terminate in flanges 23 24 for engaging the inner edges of the folded portions 15 and 16 of the carrier disks. The extensions 23 and 24." extend towards each other sufliciently so that llll) the space between them is less than the diameter of the caps used to seal the bottles handled by the carrier, and these extensions therefore serve as a. stop for bottles having long slender necks. \Vith this construction we. preferably employ a shouldered sleeve coaxial with the carrier and extending through central apertures in the hub disks 23 and 24, to receive any desired supporting shaft. In this case as before, the parts of the carrier may be secured together in any convenient way above stated or otherwise.

It will be observed that the carrier shown and described of simple construction, that it is stiff and strong, and may be readily and cheaply made, besides: serving effectively to hold bottles in radial positions with their necks innermost so that they may be moved angularly in substantially the same plane around the axis of the carrier.

lVhile we have shown our invention in the particular embodiment above described, it will be understood that we do not limit oursaid distended portions in alignment with each other to form bottle compartments, a central bearing member, and de-vlces supp rted by said member and secured to said disks to support them. i

2. In a bottle carrier of the class described, the combinationot' two similar disks of sheet metal having outwardly distended portions radially disposed and converging towards the axis of said disks, said disks being held together in reversed relation with said distended portions in alignment with each other to form bottle compartments, and central memberssupporting said disks and to engage the innerends of bottles in said compartments.

3. Ina bottle carrier of the class described, the combination. of two similar disks of sheet metal having outwardly distended portions radially disposed and converging towards the axis of said disks, said CllSliSb-QlllgllOlCl together in reversed I'Glitl'dOllJVltll said distended portions in alignment with each other to form-bottle compartments, and central members supporting said disks for rotation.

4. In a bottle car-rienof the class; described, the combination of two similarly formed sheets of metal having distended portions, said iormed sheets being secured together in reversed relationwith said distended portions in registry with each other to form bot tle compartments, and means supporting said sheets for movement of said compart' ments through a desired zone. e

5. In a bottle carrier of the class described, the combination of two similar disks oi sheet metal having outwardly distended portions radially disposed and conve3ging towards the axis of said disks, said disks being held together in reversed relation with said distended port-ions in alignment with each other to form bottle compartments, and central members supporting said disks for rotation, said central members comp-rising similar central disks having formed cylindrical extensions projecting towards each other to engage the inner ends of said bottles and flanged to engage said first named disks. 7

6. In a bottle carrier of the class described, the combination of two similar disks of sheet metal having outwardly distended portions radially disposed and converging towards the axis ofsaid disks, said disks being held together in reversed relation with said distended portions in alignment with each other to form bottle compartments, and central members supporting said disks for rotation,

said central inembers comprising similar central disks having formed cylindrical extensions projecting towards each other to en-, gage the inner ends of said bottles and flanged to engage said first named disks, and a 7 bearing member, extending centrally through said central disks.

1 7 In a bottle carrier of the class described, the combination of two similar disks of sheet metal having outwardly distended portions radially disposed and converging towards the axis of said disks, said disks being held together in reversed relation with said distended portions in alignment with each other to form bottle compartments, a central bearing member,.and devices supported by said member and secured to said disks to support them, each of said compartments being cylindrical at its outer end to receive part of the body portion of a bottle, and conical from said cylindricalportion to the inner end of said compartment to receive the entire neck portion of a bottle.

8. In a bottle carrier of the class'described, the combination of two similar disks of sheet metal having outwardly distended portions radially disposed and converging towards the axis of said disks, said disks being held together in reversed relation with said distended portions in alignment with each other to form bottle compartments, a central bearing member, and devices supported by said member and secured to; said disks to support them, each of said compartments being cylindrical at its outer end to receive part of the body portion of a bottle, and conical from said cylindrical portion tothe inner end of said compartment to receive the entire neck p012 tion of a bottle, each said conical portion haw ing opposite folded portions extending out wardly therefrom, to facilitate forming said compartments and engage said supporting de vices.

9. In a bottle carrier of the class described, the combination of two similar disks of sheet metal having outwardly distended portions radially disposed and converging towards the axis of said disks, said disks being held together in reversed relation with said distended portions in alignment with each other to form bottle compartments, and central members supporting said disks for rotation, each of said compartments being cylindrical at its outer end to receive part of the body portion of a bottle, and conical from said cylindrical portion to the inner end of said compartment to receive the entire neck portion of a bottle.

10. In a bottle carrier of the class described,

the combination of two similar disks of sheet Ill) metal having outwardly distended portions radially disposed and converging towards the axis of said disks, said disks being held together in reversed relation with said distended portions in alignment with each other to form bottle compartments, and central members supporting said disks for rotation, each of said compartments being cylindrical at its outer end to receive part of the body portion of a bottle, and conical from said cylindrical portion to the inner end of said compartment to receive the entire neck portion of a bottle, each said conical portion having opposite folded portions extending outwardly therefrom, to facilitate forming said compartments and engage said supporting devices.

11. In a bottle carrier of the class described, the combination of two similar-disks of sheet metal having outwardly distended portions radially disposed and converging towards the axis of said disks, said disks being held together in reversed relation with said distended portions in alignment with each other to form bottle compartments, and central members supporting said disks for rotation, saidcentral members comprising similar central disks having formed cylindrical extensions projecting towards each other to engage the inner ends of said bottles and flanged to engage said first named disks, each, of said compartments being cylindrical at its outer end to receive part of the body portion of a bottle, and conical from said cylindrical portion to the inner end of said compartment to receive the entire neck portion of a bottle.

12. In a bottle carrier of the class described, the combination of two similar disks of sheet metal. having outwardly distended portions radially disposed and converging towards the axis of said disks, said disks being held together in reversed relation with said distended portions in alignment with each otherto form bottle compartments, and central members supporting said disks for rotation, said central members comprising similar central disks having formed cylindrical extensions project- :ingtowardseachothertoengagetheinnerends of said bottles and flanged to engage said first named disks, each of said compartments being cylindrical at its outer end to receive part of the body portion of a bottle, and conical from said cylindrical portion to the inner end of said compartment to receive the entire neck portion of a bottle, each said conical portion having opposite folded portions extending outwardly therefrom, to facilitate forming said compartments and engage said supporting devices.

13. In a bottle carrier of the class described, the combination of two similar disks of sheet metal having outwardly distended portions radially disposed and converging towards the axis of said disks, said disks being held together in reversed relation with said distended portions in alignment with each other to form bottle compartments, and central members supporting said, disks for rotation, said central members comprising similar central disks having formed cylindrical extensions projecting towards each other to engage the inner ends of said bottles and flanged to engage said first named disks, and a bearing member extending centrally through said central disks, each of said compartments being cylindrical at its outer end to receive part of the body portion of a bottle, and conical from said cylindrical portion to the inner end of said compartment to receive the entire neck portion of a bottle.

14. In a bottle carrier of the class described, the combination of two similar disks of sheet metal having outwardly distended portions radially disposed and converging towards the axis of said disks, said disks being held together in reversed relation with said distended portions in alignment with each other to form bottle compartments, and central members supporting said disks for rotation, said central members comprising similar central disks having formed cylindrical extensions projecting towards each other to engage the inner ends of said bottles and flanged to engage said first named disks, and a bearing member extending centrally through said central disks, each of said compartments being cylindrical at its outer end to receive part of the body portion of a bottle, and conical from said cylindrical portion to the inner end of said compartment to receive the entire neck portion of a bottle, each said conical portion having opposite folded portions extending outwardly therefrom, to facilitate forming said compartments and engage said supporting devices.

In witness whereof. we hereunto subscribe our names this 3 day of November, A. D. 1927.

JOHN M. SCHILLING. WILLARD G. SCHILLING.

IOU 

